Annealing furnace and conveyer



April 10, 1951 F.IREMINGTON ET AL 2,548,683

ANNEALING FURNACE AND CONVEYER Filed Aug. 16, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l Il l I TI J 50 O r 57 .52 J

E F %%Wy% I v a A roe/m- A ril 10, 1951 F. REMINGTON ET AL 2,543,683

ANNEALING FURNACE AND CONVEYER Filed Aug. 16, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i gnvymvroes MM aw BY W April 1951 F. REMINGTON ET AL 2,548,683

ANNEALING FURNACE AND CONVEYER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 16, 1946mvavok April 10, 1951 F. REMINGTON ET AL ANNEALING FURNACE AND CONVEYERFiled Aug. 16, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I. II-

ii Ii F" 1 h4g4 v [(N V EN TOR5 April 10, 1951 F. REMINGTON ET ALANNEALING FURNACE AND CONVEYER Filed Aug. 16, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented Apr. 10, 1951 ANNEALING FURNACE AND CONVEYER FredericRemington, Elizabeth, and Richard A.

Tartaglia, East Orange, N. J assignors to Peerless Tube Company,Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 16,1946, Serial No. 690,930

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to the combination of an annealingfurnac for collapsible tubes and a conveyor for conveying the tubes tothe furnace from machines for operating upon the tubes prior to theannealing operation, such as threading and trimmin machines.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedcombination of the character described whereby the annealing furnace maybe located out of the regular working zones of the factory so that theheat from the furnace will not interfer with the atmospheric conditionin the workin zones where frequently it is necessary to maintainmoderate temperatures and a certain degree of humidity.

Another object is to provide such a combination which shall includenovel and improved constructions and arrangements of the parts wherebythe annealed tubes can be conveniently conveyed long distances andthrough zones in the factory, the temperature in which may be availed ofto cool the tubes after the annealing operation so that the necessitiesfor special cooling arrangements may be eliminated.

A further object is to provide, in such a combination, a novel andimproved conveyor chain for supporting the tubes and permitting them tobe moved while in either horizontal or vertical position, wherebyconveying of the tubes over long distances, with th chain moving in bothvertical chain shall be eifectively protected against the heat of theannealing furnac and at the same time tend to prevent the escape of heatfrom the furnace.

Other objects are to provide a combination of the character describedwhereby the tubes can be easily and quickly removed by an operator froma tube-working machine such as a trimmer, and immediately deposited bysaid operator upon the conveyor, after which the tube may be conveyed,without the attention of any operator, over long distances through anannealing furnace and to a point of discharge, where the tubes can beautomatically removed from the conveyor; and to obtain other advantagesand results that will be brought out by the following description, inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a schematic front elevational view of an annealing furnaceand two conveyors constructed and arranged in accordance with ourinvention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of one of the conveyors and theannealing furnace, with portions of the latter broken away and shown insection.

Figure 3 is a similar view of the other conveyor.

Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic top plan view of the annealin furnaceand the portions of the conveyor that move therethrough.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewon the plane of the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a similar view on the plane of the line 6-6 of Figure 4. I

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the conveyorchain; and I Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the parts shown inFigure '7 and also illustrating a collapsible tube mounted on the chain.v

For simplicity and clearness in illustration in Figures 1 to 4inclusive, we have shown the combination of the conveyor and annealingfurnace schematically, with supports and bearings for the sprockets ofthe conveyor omitted.

The invention contemplates a conveyor chain or belt which is adapted tocurve about a horizontal or a vertical axis and which will support andconvey collapsible tubes in vertical or upright position while theconveyor is moving around a vertical axis, and which will support thetubes in horizontal position while the conveyor is moving around ahorizontal axis. More specifically, the conveyor includes a plurality ofchain links which are so associated that alternate pins or rollersextend in directions perpendicular to each other, whereby certain of thepins or rollers may cooperate with sprockets rotating around verticalaxes, while other pins or rollers may cooperate with sprockets rotatingabout horizontal axes.

As shown, the chain includes links I which are arranged in alternaterelation to links 2. Each link I includes a main portion 3 from which apair of parallel arms 4 projects in an opposite direction from anotherpair of parallel arms 5. In the arms l, is mounted a pin 6 whichpivotally connects similar arms I that project from the main portion 8of the adjacent link 2 in opposite directions from a pair of arms 9. Thearms 5 of each link I are connected to the arms f the adjacent link 2 bya pin H]. Thus the axes of the pins 6 and It! are disposed at rightangles to each other and, preferably, a roller i l is rotatably mountedon each of the pins.

With this construction, the pins 6 and associated rollers will cooperatewith sprockets rotating about horizontal axes, while the pins 1 D andassociated rollers II will cooperate with sprockets rotating aboutvertical axes.

Rigidly secured to each of the links I, is a tubesupporting andlink-guard plate !2 Whoseplane is perpendicular to the axes of the pinsl8, and one end of the plate is convexly curved concentrically with thepin In as indicated at It, while the other end of the plate is concavelycurved 3 concentrically with the axis of the next adjacent pin Ill asindicated at l4. With this construction, when the chain is moving aroundthe sprockets, the plates l2 may rotate about the axes of the pins l8and at the same time remain in the same common plane with each other.

Rigidly secured to and projecting perpendicularly from each of theplates I2, is a pin for supporting a collapsible tube 16 which has thinside walls and an open bottom end, the end of the pin preferably havingan enlarged head H which will abut the shoulder I8 at the relativelythick neck 4 nozzle end of the tube when the tube is slipped over thepin so that the tube will be suspended on the pin, as most clearly shownin Figures 5 and 8. With this construction, when the chain is movingabout vertical axes, the plates [2 will be in horizontal planes and thepins [5 and collapsible tubes thereon will be vertically disposed, Whilewhen the chain is moving around horizontal axes, the plates will be invertical planes and the pins l5 and tubes i6 will extend horizontally,with the tubes in effect hung on the pins and with the relatively thickneck ends uppermost.

This conveyor is associated with an annealing furnace 19 that may beconstructed of any suitable material, for example fire brick, andsuitably insulated. The furnace heating chamber may be heated in anysuitable manner, but as shown has gas burners adjacent the top of thefurnace and including manifold pipes 29 having a plurality of burnertubes 2| that extend into the heating chamber so that the flame jetswill be projected across the top portion of the heating chamber abovethe collapsible tubes it as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. The bottom ofthe furnace is shown as provided with slots 23 through which the pins I5on the conveyor project, said slots also opening through the front andrear ends of the furnace as indicated at 24 and 2'5, respectively, forthe entrance and exit of the collapsible tubes.

As shown, there are two conveyors A and B associated with the furnaceand there is one slot 23 for each conveyor. At the entrance end of thefurnace, each conveyor passes over a sprocket 23 which rotates about ahorizontal axis, and at its exit end each conveyor runs over a sprocket2% also rotatable about a horizontal axis. Preferably, the conveyor willhave a plurality of horizontal reaches within the furnace so as toinsure that each tube shall be subjected to the heat of the furnace anadequate period of time and, as

shown, each conveyor passes over a sprocket 28 s rotating about avertical axis at the end of each reach.

Between the sprockets and along the horizontal reaches of the conveyor,the conveyor is preferably supported by grooved rollers or spacedrabbeted discs such as shown in detail in Figure 6. As shown, there isone disc 29 at each side of the chain and formed with a rabbet or groove30 in its periphery which underlies the corresponding edges of theplates [2 on the conveyor so that the weight of the conveyor and thetubes on the horizontal reaches is sustained by the discs 26. Each pairof discs is mounted on a shaft ed that may be journaled in suitablebearings 32, and it will be understood that the various sprockets 26,2?, 23, etc., will also be mounted in suitable bearings.

It is desirable that the annealing furnace be located in distantlyspaced relation to the tubeworking machines and that the conveyor be ofsufiicient length to permit cooling of the tubes after they leave thefurnace and before they are removed from the conveyor. Generally, it ispreferable that the furnace be on the upper floor of a building so thatthe heat therefrom will have a minimum effect on the Working conditionson the lower floors, and the tube-working machines may be located ondifferent floors.

As shown in Figure 1, a tube-working machine such as a threadr ortrimmer 33 is mounted on the first floor 36 of the building for eachconveyor, and the conveyor chain passes around a sprocket 35 rotatingabout a horizontal axis in such relation to the machine 33 that theoperator may remove the collapsible tubes from the machine and manuallyslip each one upon one of the pins if: of the conveyor. At this point itwill be noted that the pins will be horizontally disposed so that thetubes may be conveniently slipped over them.

The conveyor then moves directly upwardly through the second and thirdfloors 36 and 31 to the annealing furnace IS, the conveyor running overa sprocket 33 rotating on a horizontal axis adjacent the entrance end ofthe furnace, and then running around a sprocket 39 rotating on avertical axis outside and adjacent said entrance end of the furnace sothat the tubes are disposed vertically. The conveyor then passes beneaththe furnace, with the plates l2 outside of but closely adjacent thebottom wall of the furnace and overlying the respective slots 23, asbest shown in Figures 1 and 6. The pins project upwardly through theslots 23 into the furnace and the tubes enter the furnace through theenlarged end portions 23 of the slots.

After the tubes have been conveyed through the several reaches of theconveyor within the furnace, they are conveyed out of the furnace overthe sprockets 2i and 39a, the conveyor then moving downwardly throughthe upper floor 37 and around a sprocket 40 rotating about a horizontalaxis On the next lower floor 35.

As the tubes pass around the sprocket till, they are turned upside-downso that their nozzle ends engage a guide plate 4| which isconcentrically spaced from the sprocket for a portion of the peripherythereof. Then the tubes are moved off the guide plate ii and dropped bygravity from the pins I5 into a chute 42 upon an endless belt conveyor43 from which the tubes are picked up by an operator or deposited into atruck to be transported to a coating machine or other tubeworkingmachine.

From the sprocket all, the conveyor runs over a sprocket ie rotatingabout a horizontal axis, and then upwardly and around a sprocket 55which rotates about a vertical axis. Thence the conveyor runs over theidler discs 30, then around a sprocket 45 rotating about a verticalaxis, thence around a sprocket 4'1 rotating about a horizontal axis. Theconveyor then runs through the floor 35 vertically downwardly around anidler sprocket 38, back tothe sprocket 35 adjacent the tubeworkingmachine 33.

The structure and mounting is the same for each of the conveyors, withthe exception that one of the conveyors must be laterally oifsct fromthe furnace and consequently requires additional sprockets 49 and 5%] toguide the vertical reach of the conveyor from the tube-working machineto the furnace, and additional sprockets 51 and 52 for guiding the reachof the conveyor from the exit end of the furnace to the take-off ordischarge point, that is, the discharge chute 42 and the conveyor 43.

it will thus be seen that our invention provides a rap-id and effectivesystem of operating upon collapsible tubes, annealing them and coolingthem. The tubes may be removed from the working machine and depositedupon the conveyor in one continuous operation, and the tubes may beremoved from the conveyor automatically. Furthermore, the long reachesof the conveyor between the annealing furnace and the take-off pointprovide adequate cooling time for the annealed tubes, and additionalcooling time for the plates l2 and chain links is afforded by the longreaches from the take-off point back to the charging point adjacent thetube-working machine. The chain links are effectively protected by theplates 12 against the intense heat in the furnace, and only the upperportions of the pins :5 project into the furnace. Also, the plates l2serve in effect as closures for the slots 23 in the bottom \vall'of thefurnace, thus reducing the escape of heat and the influx of cold air.

While we have shown and described two conveyors in conjunction with onefurnace, it should be understood that one or any number of conveyors maybe associated with the same furnace. Also, while we have illustrated theinvention as embodying certain specific constructions and. ar-

rangements of the conveyors, supporting sprockets, tube-working machinesand the furnace, many changes in the details of construction andarrangements of the parts may be made within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

We claim:

1. In annealing apparatus for collapsible tubes that have thin sidewalls, open bottom ends and relatively thick-Walled necks, thecombination of a plurality of floors, an annealing furnace for saidtubes located on an upper floor and having a slot in its bottom wallopening through its side walls, a chain conveyor having links certain ofwhich have tube-supporting pins each connected at one end to a link withits other end formed to engage the inner surface of the shoulder of acollapsible tube for suspending the tube on said pin, said links beingso connected that the chain may move about horizontal and vertical axeswith the pins projecting from said chainhorizontally and vertically,respectively, a loading station on a lower floor for applyingcollapsible tubes to said conveyor, sprockets for supporting and guidingsaid chain so that it runs vertically from said loading station to saidupper floor and then horizontally below said slot in the bottom wall ofthe furnace to move said pins through said slot with the free ends ofthe pins projecting vertically upwardly into said furnace for conveyingthe collapsible tubes through the furnace with their necks uppermost,whence the chain runs downwardly to an intermediate floor where thechain passes around and beneath a sprocket to cause said pins to projectdownwardly to discharge said tubes from said pins by action of gravity,after which the chain passes in succession horizontally and verticallydownwardly to said loading station.

2. In an annealing apparatus for collapsible tubes that have cylindricalthin side Walls, open bottom ends and relatively thick-walled shouldersand necks, the combination of a furnace including bottom, side, end andtop walls forming a heating chamber and having a slot in its bottom wallconnecting inlet and outlet openings in the end walls for thecollapsible tubes, a conveyor movable horizontally beneath said bottomwall and having tube-supporting pins each connected at one end to saidconveyor to loosely telescopically receive a tube thereover and formedat its other end to abut the inner surface of the shoulder of acollapsible tube for suspending the tube on the pin in vertical positionwith its neck end uppermost and its side walls distantly spaced from thepin, said chamber providing a substantially closed space above said slotand said inlet and outlet openings, said pins being of a length andextending through said slotinto said chamber as they are moved-by saidconveyor so as to convey said collapsible tubes through said chamberfrom said inlet to said outlet opening with their bottom ends above butadjacent said bot tom wall and with the interior and exterior surfacesof the tubes exposed throughout their areas to hot gases in saidchamber, and means for projecting flame jets horizontally transverselyof and into the upper portion of said closed space from opposite wallsof the furnace across and above the necks of said collapsible tubes.

FREDERIC REMINGTON. RICHARD A. TARTAGLIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Page 263, Industrial Furnaces; vol. II, byW. Trinks; published by John Wiley and Sons, 1925.

